Empire: Total War

 PC
  • Publisher: Sega
  • Release Date: Mar 3, 2009
Empire: Total War Image
Metascore
90

Universal acclaim - based on 62 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 3083 Ratings

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  • Summary: Empire: Total War is set in the 18th century, a turbulent era that is the most requested by Total War’s loyal fan base and a period alive with global conflict, revolutionary fervour and technological advances. The game features themes such as the Industrial Revolution, America's struggle forEmpire: Total War is set in the 18th century, a turbulent era that is the most requested by Total War’s loyal fan base and a period alive with global conflict, revolutionary fervour and technological advances. The game features themes such as the Industrial Revolution, America's struggle for independence, the race to control Eastern trade routes and the globalisation of war on land and sea. Empire: Total War sees the debut of 3D naval combat within the Total War franchise. PC Gamers intuitively command vast fleets or single ships upon seascapes rich with extraordinary water and weather effects that play a huge role in your eventual glorious success or ignominious defeat. After pummelling your enemy with cannon fire, close in to grapple their ship and prepare to board taking control your men as they fight hand to hand on the decks. Empire: Total War also sees further enhancements to the Total War series signature 3D battles and turn based campaign map. Real time battles pose new challenges with the addition of cannon and musket, challenging players to master new formations and tactics as a result of the increasing role of gunpowder within warfare. And the Campaign Map – for many the heart of Total War – will see new improved systems for Trade, Diplomacy and Espionage with agents, a refined and streamlined UI, improved Advisors and extended scope taking in the riches of India, the turbulence of Europe and the untapped potential of North America. [Sega]… Expand
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 61 out of 62
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 62
  3. Negative: 0 out of 62
  1. GameSpy
    100
    The simplified interface elements, great campaign, and much-improved map and information screens make this the most accessible Total War yet, and a great place for those unfamiliar with the series to get started.
  2. Multiplayer.it
    95
    Empire: Total War is a must buy for any strategy lover and in general for anyone who owns a PC. Creative Assembly has taken the best aspects of the Total War saga adding new ones that integrate perfectly in the gameplay and the result is a game with wonderfully deep strategy and tactics elements.
  3. InsideGamer.nl
    93
    This is the best Total War game thanks to all the little tweaks. Sometimes little differences make a good game great. The battles ask of you that you think more about your actions and managing your empire never was easier. The sea battles are fun to watch, but are a little hard to control. Nevertheless, Empire: Total War is a game that can make you forget about the time.
  4. BigPond GameArena
    90
    It takes a hard-line approach at strategy gaming and despite a few hiccups it conquers all those in its path. If it comes to a vote though, I say we go back to Rome and we fix that iffy AI.
  5. Edge Magazine
    90
    No other game takes on whole eras of combat with such a combination of respect and fetishism for the rules and wisdom of battle, and no series treats history like such a serious playground of possibilities, yet features such comic-book characters. [Apr 2009, p.114]
    All this publication's reviews
  6. Play.tm
    88
    If you have the time and the dedication, Empire: Total War will shower you with gaming glory and riches.
  7. GamePro
    70
    Empire proves no different: It's a game that has great potential and with some extra tweaking, could have proven itself an excellent title. For now, Empire: Total War is a fine game, but one that has a heap of problems that need resolving before its worth any more of my time.

See all 62 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 331 out of 837
  2. Mixed: 189 out of 837
  3. Negative: 317 out of 837
  1. Ajdino
    Sep 28, 2012
    10
    Hey, how about a 2012 update, huh? I'm shocked at coming on Metacritic to see such low scores for a game I've owned for a long time now, thatHey, how about a 2012 update, huh? I'm shocked at coming on Metacritic to see such low scores for a game I've owned for a long time now, that I adore. There is NO bugs, some of these reviews are absolutely outdated and unreliable. In my opinion, this is the most playable of all the Total War games. The tech branches are much more expansive and really do progress as time goes on and the campaign was fantastic. I felt like I was rewriting my text books. It's also one of the more colorful TW games, because it covers such an active century of domination and war. Napoleon felt sort of like a plus 20 year map pack to this gem. This game is just as good as any other TW game, it really is a shame that people wrote hundreds and hundreds of reviews within the first couple of months of the games release, yet when the game is "Fixed" (Because I never played it when it was supposedly bugged) everyone just lose interest in lifting a finger for a new review. I'll simply put it this way, this game is worth every dollar, pound, or euro it costs.… Expand
  2. JC
    Apr 28, 2009
    10
    Great game exactly what i was expecting not sure what everyone is moaning about have played alot and haven't noticed any major bugs or Great game exactly what i was expecting not sure what everyone is moaning about have played alot and haven't noticed any major bugs or had any other problems. Steam isn't too bad, a lot of people should have this already not half as annoying as installing gta4. If you liked previous total war titles you will like this, units do get a bit samey after a while but there are also a lot of naval units. The campaign mode will entertain you for hours have been playing a long campaign and after several weeks of playing haven't quite reached the half way mark, hoping lots of other nations will be unlocked once completed as before. A great way to kill the time.… Expand
  4. KyleK
    Jun 13, 2009
    9
    Hands down, the Total War series is the best RTS series ever. Combines all the strategy and planning from turn-based games in the campaign Hands down, the Total War series is the best RTS series ever. Combines all the strategy and planning from turn-based games in the campaign mode to RTS action in the land and naval battles. Empire:Total War, in my opinion could use a little more achievement feeling like unlocking new playable factions after you beat them, as in the previous titles.… Expand
  5. MashnaT
    Apr 17, 2009
    6
    total war means total war: Total war with your system for example (100 systemfailures in one games gives you a lot of hours extra playtime..) total war means total war: Total war with your system for example (100 systemfailures in one games gives you a lot of hours extra playtime..) I really loved the whoe series but I think this game was not ready at all to be launched. Mystical indian powers cause one of my armies to stay on the same location for about 50 turns now. This army is probably bewitched by some evil force because whenever I dare to even point my cursor in the near direction the games will crash... I have fleets everywhere but I cant fight battles whit them because whenever I am winning the sea battle the game will crash.. I just cant wait for Total War - WWI. People will probably beat me up in the streets , or strange virusses will efect my computer... Why couldnt you just wait guys... A little bit more time for development would have serioiusly increased the quality of this - now very annoying - game.… Expand
  6. AndrewHaeberlin
    Apr 1, 2009
    4
    This would have been a great game . . . if they'd finished developing it. Buggy, crash prone, and utterly unplayable. Don't buy itThis would have been a great game . . . if they'd finished developing it. Buggy, crash prone, and utterly unplayable. Don't buy it for at least a few months - the fact that they're apparently using fans of the series to do play testing rather than doing it themselves is frustrating, to say the least.… Expand
  7. EricD.
    Mar 18, 2009
    3
    Like many others said this game had the potential to blow the competetion out of the water, but with the addition of steam and the Like many others said this game had the potential to blow the competetion out of the water, but with the addition of steam and the unprecedented number of bugs its just another dissapointment, oh and to all the dumb people that hail steam i just spent 15 months in iraq with no internet connection i cant express the level of anger i had when i couldnt play even once a week with missions, because you had to use steam that is rediculas, if they want to use steam to patch cool and even sell downloadable copies more power to them but to force me to get on steam to play a game i have a hard copy of is too much, as for the game i love it when it will work which isnt much if more patches dont come out and soon this will be the last ca sega game i and many friends ever buy.… Expand
  8. JamesB
    Mar 5, 2009
    0
    I loved the demo. I own all the other total war games, Unfortuneately, steam totally ruins this one. I have recieved multiple error messages I loved the demo. I own all the other total war games, Unfortuneately, steam totally ruins this one. I have recieved multiple error messages from Steam while just trying to install such that I haven't even been able to play the game yet. Steam's trouble shooting section on the web is very complex and lists hundreds of possible things that could be wrong. I had some difficulty with getting the demo to work and realized that I didn't want to buy the game via steam so I brought the box. Unfortuneately, you need steam to install and probably also to play! Don't buy this game unless this steam issue is resolved. By the way I sent a message to SEGA support two days ago. They sent me a acknowledgement email only so far. If I ran my business or treated my customers this way I would no longer jave a job. Total war and SEGA have bombed this one and all of you who are having the same problems as me should get your money back.… Expand

See all 837 User Reviews

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